Confusion as Spokane bishop asks priests not to join 40 Days for Life vigils

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Remember, as Catholic laymen, we are to put the most charitable construction on the acts of any of our fellow Catholics, especially our priests and bishops. Perhaps he has a very good reason for withdrawing the priests from there.
 
From the OP:
On a blog post on the issue by Catholic commentator Mark Shea, a commenter who identified himself as a Spokane seminarian also stated that “I and my brothers have been instructed by the bishop personally not to continue our Friday rosary outside of Planned Parenthood.”
The past few months have shown unprecedented attacks on the pro-life movement. The rosary is our strongest weapon. I am stunned!
 
From the OP:

The past few months have shown unprecedented attacks on the pro-life movement. The rosary is our strongest weapon. I am stunned!
stunned and confused, I have attended rosaries outside of planned parenthood where our Bishop has lead the group.
 
How many active pro-life psychiatrists does it take to change a dead pro-life light bulb?
Only one, but the light bulb has to want to change.
And, before the light bulb wants to be changed, it must understand the need to change.
 
stunned and confused, I have attended rosaries outside of planned parenthood where our Bishop has lead the group.
Our pastor joins us every Saturday that he can - wearing his big straw hat - he leads us up and down the sidewalk.

So…does anyone know the answer - if your individual bishop tells you to stop praying the rosary in front of Planned Parenthood, do you obey?
 
I dont know why we have to go in front of abortion clinics to make an statement. We must pray to God and not be show offs to people. That is my opinion.
We are giving witness as called to do, and babies have been saved by sidewalk counselors who are able to speak to the mother before she enters the clinic.
 
From the OP:
The past few months have shown unprecedented attacks on the pro-life movement. The rosary is our strongest weapon. I am stunned!
Our area’s pro-life groups have instituted a perpetual prayer vigil where a parish will have an assigned day, and the parish “Respect Life” committee seeks to get one or two persons to spend an hour for each hour covering the day to pray in front of our local Planned Parenthood facility.

I go there once a month, and believe me this is no big grandstand display of Pro-Life activism. I go there and find myself alone (well, I bring my two dogs… I’m Pro-Life… their Pro-Rescue) and, quietly sit and pray the rosary without any fanfare posters.

We need more prayerful, non-obstructive, but quiet presence for those inside the clinic.
That’s what I see as the role of the 40 Days for Life movement.

Not large groups… just one or two… always there… quietly present… praying the rosary.
 
We are giving witness as called to do, and babies have been saved by sidewalk counselors who are able to speak to the mother before she enters the clinic.
I would say that greatest prayer is to teach the children the way he should go. The Church needs to teach the children so this doesnt have to happen. I have to say that too many Catholics are involved in promoting this even themselves. A Kingdom divided…
 
And, before the light bulb wants to be changed, it must understand the need to change.
I was listening to one of Father Frank’s more recent homilies on EWTN before his recall to Amarillo, TX, and he talked about the Genovese or “bystander” effect. It was named after a woman who was attacked three times in NYC, cried out each time & was heard, but no one did anything. So psychologists started to study the dynamics of the “bystander” effect. A subject would sit in a waiting room expecting to be called for a paid psyche experiment unaware that the experiment was in progress. Smoke would come into the room, and the subject went into action to sound the alarm. In other experiment, three persons were in the room when smoke came in, so each looked at each other to see how the other would react, and when none did, they all continued the wait reading their magazine. In other attempts, if one got alarmed, the rest tended to get alarmed too.

Maybe, we need more alarmists. We seem to have enough numb & dumb bystanders.
 
As far as I’m concerned, all bishops should be personally leading prayers in front of abortion clinics, instead of putting up barriers for faithful Catholics (priests and laity). Don’t forget the millstone around the neck …
 
I would say that greatest prayer is to teach the children the way he should go. The Church needs to teach the children so this doesnt have to happen. I have to say that too many Catholics are involved in promoting this even themselves. A Kingdom divided…
Yup! And that’s why there are so many families and school groups taking part in 40 days for life and other stand and pray activities.
 
I just pray that this case and that of Father Pavone are not caused by any left leaning members of the Church and their apparent lack of understanding of direction by the magisterium. There unfortunately are many good intentioned members of the clergy (Priests and Bishops) who appear to have problems prioritizing and/or identifying intrinsic evil.
 
As far as I can tell, Bishop Cupich has issued no public statement on this that would bind all Catholic faithful not to participate in such pro-life activities.

It appears the basis for the story is information leaked to the media from some of the priests and seminarians in the diocese. As of right now, it seems to me that the bishop has asked his priests to do this (or rather not do this). As they have made a promise of obedience to him, they really don’t have any wiggle room in that regard.

But unless the bishop issues a statement which makes clear he is asking this of all his flock, then I don’t see why a Catholic could not participate in such efforts.
On the Archdiocese of Spokane’s website, Bishop Cupich seems to say that priests can participate:
“As for the specific question of the priests’ participation in the 40 Days for Life vigils, the Bishop recognizes that a given priest in good conscience may feel the need to participate in the vigils and he should never be forced to go against a good and informed conscience. The Bishop only asked that all priests prayerfully reflect on what he has told them, commit themselves to making teaching effectively their first priority and keep in mind the irreplaceable power of the witness of their unity with each other.”

dioceseofspokane.org/news_detail.php?id=147
 
This move does seem hard to understand. Perhaps he was misinformed about what exactly these 40 Days for Life vigils entail.
If the bishop is that confused or misinformed (impossible to believe), then I suggest that it is time for him to resign and go to pasture so as not to do any more harm.
 
On the Archdiocese of Spokane’s website, Bishop Cupich seems to say that priests can participate:
“As for the specific question of the priests’ participation in the 40 Days for Life vigils, the Bishop recognizes that a given priest in good conscience may feel the need to participate in the vigils and he should never be forced to go against a good and informed conscience. The Bishop only asked that all priests prayerfully reflect on what he has told them, commit themselves to making teaching effectively their first priority and keep in mind the irreplaceable power of the witness of their unity with each other.”

dioceseofspokane.org/news_detail.php?id=147
It doesn’t sound like the bishop is at all confused. Or that he doesn’t have a strong pro-life position. He is asking his priests to focus on teaching more fully about pro-life issues and not limit their efforts to praying a rosary outside a clinic. I thought the point that 40 Days for Life is not a Catholic initiative was interesting. I was not aware of that. Certainly the evangelical protestant community are also on the whole pro-life, but their view does not encompass the whole Catholic understanding (ie contraception and end of life issues), so I understand better why he would want to expand his priests activities past that.
 
Remember, as Catholic laymen, we are to put the most charitable construction on the acts of any of our fellow Catholics, especially our priests and bishops.
Where on earth did you ever get this idea? There is no such obligation. Never has been - never will be. BTW we may have an obligation of obedience under certain circumstances, but that in no way obligates us to agree or put a charitable construction on anything. As far as our priests and Bishops are concerned, they are certainly due the respect that their office entitles them - but that in no way is a requirement to elevate their actions to a plane where we put a charitable explanation on all they do. In fact, I would argue, if anything, their actions demand a more stringent level of review - not less.
Perhaps he has a very good reason for withdrawing the priests from there.
This may be true, but it has zip to do with the prior statement.
 
Where on earth did you ever get this idea?
St. Ignatius of Loyola by way of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. 🙂
2478 To avoid rash judgment, everyone should be careful to interpret insofar as possible his neighbor’s thoughts, words, and deeds in a favorable way:
Every good Christian ought to be more ready to give a favorable interpretation to another’s statement than to condemn it. But if he cannot do so, let him ask how the other understands it. And if the latter understands it badly, let the former correct him with love. If that does not suffice, let the Christian try all suitable ways to bring the other to a correct interpretation so that he may be saved.280
footnote 280 is to St. Ignatius’s Spiritual Exercises.

PS It’s a fourm rule too.
 
It doesn’t sound like the bishop is at all confused. Or that he doesn’t have a strong pro-life position. He is asking his priests to focus on teaching more fully about pro-life issues and not limit their efforts to praying a rosary outside a clinic. I thought the point that 40 Days for Life is not a Catholic initiative was interesting. I was not aware of that. Certainly the evangelical protestant community are also on the whole pro-life, but their view does not encompass the whole Catholic understanding (ie contraception and end of life issues), so I understand better why he would want to expand his priests activities past that.
These were my thoughts also, however, I do not understand why it would be necessary to ask his priests to avoid the 40 Days for life. This certainly would not take an enormous amount of their time and just because our protestant brothers and sisters do not understand or fully subscribe to Catholic teaching does not seem like ample reason to stop Catholic Priests participaton; this could also be an opportunity to help them understand the Catholic teaching on contraception and end of life issues. Most protestant denominations also taught contraception was wrong until they buckled to social pressures. So, why not both?

His point about there not being significant difference between Catholic’s and the general population’s political views is certainly correct. (53% of Catholics voted for an extremely anti life president in the last election). My next question would be (and maybe someone from the Spokane diocese can answer); do the priests in this diocese speak often and clearly about abortion and contraception? They certainly do not in my parish. While our bishop seems to support pro-life issues I don’t know whether he instructs his priests to speak on these issues. Most Catholics don’t know about or have not read Humanae Vitae, so it may also be an opportunity for Catholics to understand the Church’s teaching on contraception.
 
If the bishop is that confused or misinformed (impossible to believe), then I suggest that it is time for him to resign and go to pasture so as not to do any more harm.
This is uncalled for. We dont talk about our bishops this way. We are called to be obedient to our Bishops. So far, he did not commit any heresy. I resent you talk like that to our Bishop. He deserves respect. he was ordainded.

Frankly i find this thread to be just a way to bash this poor bishop. this is not right. God is hearing all this. I feel for this bishop. God protect him from sharp tongues that think they know what they talking about.

We will be judged by God for ever word that comes out of our mouth. Specially if it unjust. this bishop is not going against the teachings of the Church.
 
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